Devotees of the works of Anatole France agree without a dissenting voice that Penguin Island is his most searching and satirical novel.  The history of the strutting penguins is the history of mankind, recorded with the gentle but biting irony of the French master.  ¶ Penguin Island has long held a commanding position among the titles in the Modern Library series.  It is prescribed reading for almost every university course in contemporary literature.